Richard L. Trotter

CLACKAMAS, Ore. — The Rev. Richard Lewis Trotter died on Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2013, in Clackamas, Ore., at 93 years of age. He was born on Nov. 9, 1919, in Bureau County, Ill., to parents Roy Gordon and Sadie (Carrico) Trotter.

Dick attended school in Sheffield, graduating in 1937. He attended Western State Teacher's College, Macomb, for two years and taught at the Old Manlius Rural School for three years. After a two-year stint at Caterpillar Tractor Co. in Peoria, during World War II, he attended the University of Illinois and received a Bachelor of Arts in 1946. He attended the Chicago Theological Seminary for one year and received a Bachelor of Divinity in 1949 from Andover Newton Seminary in Boston, Mass.

On June 5, 1949, he married Elma Catherine Sathoff in Peoria. To this union four children were born. During his 21 years in the ministry, he served the First Congregational Church of Mendon, Berea Congregational Church of Davenport, Iowa, Trinity United Protestant Church of Richland, Wash., and Condon United Church of Christ (UCC) of Condon, Ore.

After the ministry he moved to Roseburg, Ore., and became a social worker for Douglas County. He then became the administrator for Grandview Care Home for 10 years and retired in 1984.

He and his family, including his seven grandchildren, enjoyed traveling and camping for many years. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Roseburg for almost 40 years and was also a member of Ainsworth UCC, Portland, Ore.

Richard was active in the church, serving as Pilgrim Fellowship President of Illinois, serving on the Board of Directors of the UCC Youth Representatives and the Christian Education Committee, Illinois State Conference. He also served on the Washington and Oregon State conference's Social Action Committees. He was active in AARP, the Audubon Club and the YMCA.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Elma; his parents, Roy Trotter and Sadie Martin; and four brothers, James, Rex, Kenneth and Glenn.

Funeral services were held March 2 at the Ainsworth United Church of Christ, Portland, Ore. A memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 6, at the First Presbyterian Church in Roseburg, Ore. Internment will be at Roseburg Memorial Gardens at a later date.